Method for treating tobacco



. 1 5 and ferment for the removal of tar, oilsfnicotine,

Patented Feb. 8, 1938 v UNITED} STATES PATENTVOFFICE DIETHOD FOR TREATING TOBACCO Harry P. Wurman, Brooklyn, N. Y., and Rush D'. .Touton, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to Wurton Machine Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania No Drawing. Application November 6, 1934, Serial No. 751,746

' 8 Claims.

This invention relates to amethod for treating tobacco and more particularly relates to the treatment of tobacco as a part of the procedure the form of cigars, it is customary, after the to-' V bacco has been harvested and dried in the barn,

'to sweat it under conditions of moisture and temperature such that oils, tars, nicotine, etc., will be removed to such a degree as will render the tobacco of desirable flavor and free from bitterness when smoked.

In the sweating or fermenting of tobacco ammonia is formed and is volatilized outof the to bacco, tending to dissolve and carry off with it certain of the oils, tars, etc. contained by the 1 tobacco.

i indeed, universal to wet the tobacco with Water and then pack it in a mass in a sweat room, in

' which the temperature is elevated above normal other purpose.

atmospheric temperature or in any event in 'which the tobacco in a mass is allowed to heat etc.', or, in the case of certain tobaccos, as C0111 neoticut shade grown, to set the color or for any The sweating or fermenting of tobacco as heretofore accomplished has not been desirably effective for the production of a tobacco having desired flavor and freedom from bitterness and/or 7 color and it has been found, from intensive investigation, that the inefiiciency is due to the fact that in the course of the slow heating of the packed mass of tobacco, from the temperature of the water used to wet it, or from normal atmospheric temperature, to the sweating temperature, which is necessarily gradual, whether the tobacco in the mass is subjected to an elevated temperature or is merely to heat, a period of stagnation occurs before the mass of tobacco discoloration.

50 I consequently the oils and'tars are not effectively removed from the leaves by the subsequent evolution and. volatilization off of ammonia in the fermentation of the tobacco. Likewise, where the treatment is to establish a certain desired color, the period of stagnation results in permanent Now, in accordance with this invention a method of sweating tobacco is provided whereby the disadvantages recognized in prior procedure are "eliminated in a simple manner and whereby the desired flavor and lack of bitterness in tobacco and. desired color are insured.

The method in accordance with this invention includes the step of moistening or wetting tobacco to be sweated as heretofore and the ultimate-fermentation thereof in a mass under any usual or desired sweating temperature, with such f manipulation or opening up of the mass as may be required or desired to avoid overheating. In addition and essentially, the method in accordance with this invention involves relatively rapidly prewarming the tobacco during or after moistening and in a loose condition, before packing in the mass for fermentation, to a temperature above normal atmospheric temperature, but below a temperature which will injure the tobacco. The tobacco will be heated to a temperature preferably approximating the temperature at which the tobacco will be fermented, i. e. the sweating temperature of the mass. Preferably; in accordance with the method of this invention the tobacco in a loose state will be moistened by permitting it to absorb moisture from an atmosphere conditioned with respect to humidity and temperature, so that the tobacco will be de-- sirably wet or moistened and, at the same time, relatively rapidly brought to a temperature above normal atmospheric temperature, and preferably a temperature approximating that at which the mass will be fermented.

The wet tobacco having been warmed or heated, or the tobacco having been wet or moistened and warmed or heated in a conditioned atmosphere with rapidity, it is packed in a mass in the sweating room and permitted to ferment un-- 'der suitable temperature, depending ,upon the type of tobacco, to an extent and for such time as may be required for the desired removal of oils, tars, nicotine, etc., or to set color.

As a result of proceeding in accordance with this invention, it will be found that the removal of tars, oils, nicotine, etc., or color setting, willbe accomplished more effectively than heretofore, since the relatively rapid prewarming of the tobacco after or during moistening and before packing will avoid the period of stagnation before efiective fermentation begins with avoidance of concentration of oils, tars, etc., at the surfaces of the leaves and discoloration. Consequently, in the subsequent fermentation in the mass, ammonia evolved will readily dissolve and carry off the oils, tars, etc., which, when fermentation commences, will be available in natural state for removal by ammonia as it is evolved in and volatilized from the tobacco, or where setting of color is the function of fermentation, a uniform desired color will be obtained.

. -As illustrative of the practical carrying out of this invention, for example, tobacco in the form of hands, i. e. leaves tied together at their butt ends, may be wet by dipping in water, then hung from supports, fixed or traveling, in an atmosphere heated to a temperature above normal atmospheric and in which the tobacco will be rapidly warmed. The atmosphere is preferably humidified to prevent loss of moisture from the tobacco. When the tobacco has been warmed to about the temperature of the atmosphere in which it is hung, it is packed in a mass or masses in a sweating room and fermented in the usual manner. The tobacco will desirably be heated or warmed to a temperature approximating that at which the mass will be fermented.

Again, the tobacco in a dry state, or containing some moisture, may be prepared by wetting and heating by subjecting it, in hands, to an atmosphere conditioned as to moisture and. temperature so as to effect the desired wetting and relatively rapid prewarming or heating of the tobacco.

More specifically, when treating Pennsylvania tobacco, the tobacco in hands may be wet in any usual manner and then brought up to a temperature of say about IOU-120 F. It is then packed in a mass in a sweating room and fermented at a temperature of about 120 F. Likewise, the tobacco may be moistened and brought up to a temperature of, for example, about 100 F. by subjecting the tobacco, in hands, to an atmosphere conditioned suitably as to moisture and temperature. In the treatment of other tobaccos, the temperature to which the tobacco is preheated and the sweating temperature will vary, depending upon the type of tobacco; however, generally speaking, the tobacco will be preheated to a temperature within about the range 75 F.-150 F., depending upon the sweating temperature of the particular tobacco.

As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, exact procedure in accordance with this invention may be widely varied, depending upon the type of tobacco treated; also that the moisture content or wetness of the tobacco, the temperature at which it is fermented, the dimensions of and amount of tobacco in the mass subjected to fermentation will vary with the requirements of particular tobaccos, the particular function of the sweating and the ultimate form and type of use for which they may be intended. It will further be obvious that the carrying out of the invention will not require the use of any particular form of apparatus and that any means may be used for supplying the necessary heat, and when an atmosphere conditioned as to heat and moisture is used, any means for desirably conditioning such atmosphere and suitably subjecting the tobacco thereto may be used.

As will be obvious, tobacco treated in accordance with this invention may be initially dry or partially moist.

What we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of treating tobacco in the curing thereof, which comprises wetting the tobacco, heating the tobacco in a loose state to a temperature above normal atmospheric temperature, packing the tobacco in a mass before any substantial fermentation has occurred, and permitting the mass to ferment.

2. The method of treating tobacco in the curing thereof, which comprises wetting the tobacco,

rapidly heating the tobacco in a loose state to a temperature above atmospheric temperature and not in excess of the temperature at which the tobacco will be fermented, packing the tobacco in a mass and permitting the mass, before any substantial fermentation has occurred, to ferment.

3. The method of treating tobacco in the curing thereof, which comprises wetting the tobacco, rapidly heating the tobacco in a loose state to a temperature above normal atmospheric temperature and not in excess of the temperature at which the tobacco will be fermented while the tobacco is in a loose condition, packing the tobacco in a mass before any substantial fermentation has occurred, and permitting the mass to ferment.

4. The method of treating tobacco in the curing thereof, which comprises wetting the tobacco, rapidly heating the tobacco in a loose state to a temperature above normal atmospheric temperature while avoiding any substantial loss of moisture from the tobacco, packing the tobacco in a mass before any substantial fermentation has occurred, and permitting the tobacco to ferment.

5. The method of treating tobacco in the curing thereof, which comprises adjusting the moisture content of tobacco to that rendering the tobacco adaptable for fermentation through the medium of an atmosphere conditioned with respect to humidity and simultaneously rapidly heating the tobacco in a loose state to a temperature above normal atmospheric temperature and not in excess of the temperature at which the tobacco will be fermented, packing the tobacco in a mass before any substantial fermentation has occurred, and permitting the tobacco to ferment.

6. The method of treating tobacco in the curing thereof, which comprises adjusting the moisture content of tobacco to that rendering the tobacco adaptable for fermentation through the medium of an atmosphere conditioned with respect to humidity, rapidly heating the tobacco in a loose state to a temperature above normal atmospheric temperature and not in excess of the temperature at which the tobacco will be fermented through the medium of an atmosphere conditioned with respect to humidity and temperature, packing the tobacco in a mass before any substantial fermentation has occurred, and permitting the tobacco to ferment.

7. The method of treating tobacco in the curing thereof, which comprises wetting the tobacco, rapidly heating the tobacco in a loose state to a temperature of approximately the temperature at which the tobacco will be fermented, packing the tobacco in a mass before any substantial fermentation has occurred, and per mitting the tobacco to ferment.

8. The method of treating tobacco in the curing thereof, which comprises adjusting the moisture content of tobacco, heating the tobacco in a loose state to a temperature above normal atmospheric temperature, packing the tobacco in a mass before any substantial fermentation has occurred and permitting the mass to ferment.

HARRY P. WURMAN. RUSH D. TOUTON. 

